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Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall Of An Empire

Ancient Rome The Rise and Fall of an Empire

Ancient Rome: The Rise And Fall Of An Empire

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2006)
DVD
8717344729499
TV Series | Drama | History
UK | English | Color | 00:59

This dramatised documentary series tells the story of the rise and fall of Ancient Rome through the six key turning points. Factually accurate and based on extensive historical research, it reveals how the greed, lust and ambition of men like Caesar, Nero and Constantine shaped the Roman Empire. It describes how Rome destroyed Carthage, was conquered by Caesar, how it suppressed the Jewish revolt, and converted to Christianity. CGI is mixed with compelling drama and spectacular live-action battles to tell the definitive television story of how the Empire was formed, how it achieved maximum power, and why it eventually failed.


Episodes View details

1 Nero 59 min | Sep 21, 2006

In July AD 64 a fire, which lasts for six days, destroys almost all of Rome. Many of the senators think it would be impossible to rebuild the city, and suggest that the capital should be moved to Naples or Capua. Nero is irresolute and asks his mentor, the philosopher Seneca, about his advice. Seneca says that in a crisis great emperors rule as gods rule, and if Nero does that he can become a god himself. Nero decides to rebuild Rome and at the same time make the city more magnificent than ever before. He has a great vision of a city characterized by art and beauty, but the costs of such a project are enormous. Tigellinus, head of Rome's security force, advises Nero to robe the temples. For most Romans this is a shocking sacrilege, and when Nero starts it he gets into a collision course with the senate. In April AD 65 a group of senators plan to murder Nero, but a slave reveals the conspiracy, and all of them are killed. In one move all political opposition are wiped out, and Nero decides to celebrate this with the biggest arts' festival in Roman history, with himself topping the bill. When Nero performs in public as an actor he breaks another rule for how emperors should behave, but no one dares to criticize him. Afterwards Nero's wife Poppea happens to mention that he dropped the scepter during his performance. Nero gets furious and kills her. In AD 66 he moves his court to Greece, where he orders a young male slave to be castrated and transformed into a woman, thus becoming Nero's new Poppea. To get more money for his building program Nero forces the richest men in the empire to commit suicide and leave their wealth to him. In December AD 67 the governors of Gaul and Spain rebel against Nero. He returns to Rome, where he states that he's going to meet the enemy with an army of prostitutes and himself singing in front of them. In spring AD 68 the senate declares Nero an official enemy of the state and condemns him to death. 9th June AD 68 Nero commits suicide.

2 Caesar 59 min | Sep 28, 2006

Julius Caesar's rise to power, from his military success to his decision to return home and seize power from his old ally Pompey.

3 Revolution 59 min | Oct 05, 2006

132 BC tells the story of how a Roman politician nearly brought down the foundations of the Roman republic.

4 Rebellion 59 min | Oct 12, 2006

AD 66, following the death of Nero, Josephus is leads a Jewish Revolt and only General Vespasian has the strength and will to sort out the empire.

5 Constantine 59 min | Oct 19, 2006

How the persecution of the Christians ended and the world was changed forever by the hand of one man - Constantine the Great.

6 The Fall of Rome 59 min | Oct 26, 2006

How the greatest empire gained a useless emperor, how the barbarians destroyed the foundations of city... How Rome fell, because of one fatal mistake.

Cast View all

Lyall B. Watson Senator
Michael Sheen Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus
David Warner Pulcher
Geraldine James Cornelia
Pip Torrens Olympius
James D'Arcy Tiberius Gracchus
Jonathan Hyde Hanan
John Shrapnel Pompey
Danny Webb Licinius
Sean Pertwee Julius Caesar
Simon Kunz Attalus
Andrew Havill Bassianus
Catherine McCormack Poppaea Sabina
Peter Firth Vespasian
Paul Brightwell Pompeius
David Threlfall Constantine the Great
Rod Hallett Nicanor
Alex Ferns Mark Antony
Philip Jackson Jovius
Hugh Ross Senator Piso
Michael Maloney Senator Natalis
Sylvester Morand Mancinus
Karl Johnson Marcellus
Douglas Reith Metellus
Adam James Titus

Edition details

Nr Discs 1
Distributor BBC Home Video
Edition Release Date May 10, 2007
Regions Region 2

Personal

Watched
Index 1962
Added Date Mar 10, 2020 09:45:51
Modified Date